Insight

Celebrating its 50^th anniversary, Norm Fasteners reports that its innovative solutions, and long-term business partnerships with leading companies around the world, has enabled it to develop flawless products and connections that have been the key to its growth and success. 

The value of Norm Fasteners’ vast capabilities and service were underlined to its customers last year, when it was able to continue to provide uninterrupted service to its business partners despite the global supply chain crisis. Thanks to its 14 logistics and sales centres, located in 9 countries, as well as its experienced
in-house engineers, Norm Fasteners was even able to increase customers’ satisfaction during this period. 

Fatih Uysal, chairperson at Norm Holding, points out: “In a report that the Norm Holding board of directors uses to assessed the structure and operations in the ‘Best Practice’ category, the Corporate Governance Rating of Norm Holding and all our companies was determined as 9.04 out of 10, which shows how we have been able to meet and exceed customers’ needs.”

In addition to its commitment to its customers, thanks to its development and organic growth oriented strategy, Norm Fasteners has also managed to double its turnover in the last two years using its own production resources. “With our production capacity of 200,000 tonnes, 400 forging machines, 21 heat treatment lines, and the projects that will be initiated, we aim to grow by 20% in 2023,” states Fatih Uysal. “To make this possible we are also progressing with our investments as always to achieve this goal.”

Full Service Provider identity

Norm Fasteners recently attended Fastener Fair Global, which took place in March, where it had the opportunity to meet with its customers and examine the market and opportunities together after a four year break. “With our VR experience corner located on our stand, our business partners had the opportunity to visit our production facilities virtually with a 360 degree video,” mentions Fatih Uysal. “This enabled visitors to see our Full Service Provider (FSP) identity, global service network, sustainability vision, and competence in manufacturing complex parts, which helped bring about new collaboration opportunities.”

Fatih Uysal continues: “With successful companies in our group, such as Norm Coating, Norm Tooling and NRM Engineering, we provide end-to-end in-house production support to our customers through our R&D, engineering, surface treatment, cold forming, tooling, machining, heat treatment, machinery and automation, coating, sorting, packaging, and logistics services. Having further strengthened our production processes with investments, we work with the goal of providing our business partners with a faster, high-quality, cost-focused and sustainable service.”

This enables Norm Fasteners to supply solutions that meet the needs of its business partners in various sectors such as automotive, white appliances, aftermarket, wholesaler and agriculture. The company also continuously improves its expertise in the fasteners industry, as well as in different and new product groups – such as hot forging, stamping, turning parts and additive manufacturing. “When these technologies are added to our 50 years of experience in cold forging, advanced technology production infrastructure, and expert engineering teams, we are able to provide a first class service when it comes to production of complex parts,” states Fatih Uysal. 

“For instance, with Norm Additive, which operates in the additive manufacturing field, we provide services not only to the automotive industry but also to many different sectors such as aviation, white appliances, machine manufacturing and medical – both domestically and internationally. We can provide engineering and manufacturing support for weight reduction and performance improvement in structural parts of our customers, by providing cost and supply speed advantages compared to traditional production technologies. We also offer prototyping and series production services through our modular production systems.”

Investments and innovations

In 2022, through a new sales centre in Canada, Norm Fasteners further added to its sales and logistics centers in Germany, Poland, Romania, France, and the USA – strengthening its logistics network. “Through the new sales centre we will continue to grow rapidly in the Canadian market in 2023, as we did in other countries. We always focus on customer satisfaction to better understand the desires and expectations of our customers and offer sector-based solutions,” explains Fatih Uysal. “We also prioritise our R&D and innovation activities accordingly. For instance, we are proud that our patented products such as HexLight^® and NormSelf^TM are included in automotive specifications and that we are the preferred fasteners partner of automotive manufacturers as a joint designer.

Fatih continues: “In 2023 we also incorporated the global production and sales license of TRILOBULAR^® and REMFORM^® of CONTI Fasteners AG into our company. With these licenses, we can also supply fasteners that provide productivity increase and cost advantage – due to their self-tapping abilities in metal parts such as steel, aluminium and plastic applications.”

Now in its 50^th year, Norm Fasteners has established itself as a FSP and a leading manufacturer within the sector. “We also supply other fasteners that our customers need besides the products we manufacture ourselves. We thereby have succeeded in becoming the ‘single business partner’ for our customers – with our R&D, design, engineering, production, sourcing, supply chain management services,” states Fatih Uysal. “We have also completed the installation of our Gölcük warehouse, where we will manage Europe’s largest commercial vehicle program. With our strengthened team, we are ready to further highlight our professional FSP identity in future projects.”

A development journey

In Norm Fasteners development journey towards the future and success, together with all its employees, the company aims to spread, sustain and develop the business and its culture. “We see sustainability as providing for the present needs without compromising the needs of the future generations, based on economic issues, as well as environmental and social development,” explains Fatih Uysal. 

“Therefore, we strive to create value for our world and community. From installing solar panels in our manufacturing facilities to measuring our corporate carbon footprint; from transitioning to sandblasting technique to our digital transformation; all our actions are thoroughly planned to create a better future and more sustainable world.”

To add to this, Norm Fasteners has looked to incorporate digitalisation into every process, from production to packaging. “We have continued our digital transformation journey to facilitate our business processes without slowing down,” highlights Fatih Uysal. “A prime example is the integrated RPA systems into our production lines and offices with our digital colleague Normie.”

Fatih Uysal concludes: “At Norm Fasteners our main goals in 2023 will be to continuously advance our standards for quality and customer satisfaction and strengthen our steps in the sustainability field – whilst continuing our work toward being a responsive business partner for our customers. We will also continue to develop our main strategy, especially in regards to environmental, economic and social issues.”